Tomato Juice
by Isis Lied
Summary: AU Akane Tsunemori, vampire hunter, is given a mission to rescue Kougami Shinya, a veteran hunter, from a den of monsters. So why is this 'vampire' so friendly and carefree? "At least act like a monster so I don't feel guilty shooting you!" Akane/Shusei
1. Chapter 1

Tomato Juice

Summary: AU Akane Tsunemori, vampire hunter, is given a mission to rescue Kougami Shinya, a veteran hunter, from a den of monsters. So why is this 'vampire' so friendly and carefree? "At least act like a monster so I don't feel guilty shooting you!" Akane/Shusei

A/N: I've written an ungodly amount of one-shots for this series so I buckled down and decided to attempt to write a full story. Please review and tell me what you think! Thank you and have a great day!

…

Chapter 1- Garlic, Crosses, and Coffins

"Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company."

Akane Tsunemori cursed every god she could think of (and even those she couldn't) for sending her on this stupid mission. Save Kougami. Kill the vampires. Burn the nest. But, who was she to deny Sibyl, the head of the hunter organization? She gulped, thinking about the last person who 'defied' (can also be read as _failed_) her. The rumor was that he was locked in a cage for three years with only bread and water. When Sibyl was done with the torment she apparently threw him to the wolves—literally. Shivering, the girl trudged through the snow, hand placed on the holster of her gun.

Really? Did all vampires have to live in secluded places in god-forsaken woods or on a freaking cliff? They didn't all need to copy _Dracula, _geeze.

"Why can't I ever find a nest of them in a shopping mall or something…?" She pulled the scarf over her neck tighter, senses on fire. The hand resting on the gun quickly pulled out the weapon, aiming towards a certain tree.

"Come out with your hands up, vampire!" Laughter emerged from the brush, scaring the poor birds sitting in the tree. A pale figure emerged from the shadows, topaz eyes alight with mischief.

"Ah, looks like you caught me, Ms. Vampire hunter. What ever shall I do?" He mocked, hands up in a fake salute.

"Looks like another cocky vampire with a God-complex. What ever shall I do?"

This roused a reaction from the man, fangs bared. "My name is Shougo Makishima, and this," he motioned to the snow, "will be your grave, little girl."

He lunged for the girl, talons inches away from her neck. Akane smirked, pressing the gun against his chest. "One move and I blow out your heart. Tell me who your master is."

"I have no master." The girl twisted the barrel of the gun into his stomach.

"You can't fool me. I know you monsters have a hierarchy. Lie to me again, and this gun will be _in_ your throat."

"I-I'm not lying. We all live together but there is no leader."

The hunter paused, pretending to put the gun back in its holster.

"Wrong answer." A flash of blue emerged from the gun, bathing the whole clearing in a bright light.

"Sorry, miss, but he's telling the truth." An orange-haired youth with amber eyes smiled, gun in hand. Smoke rose from the Dominator, leading towards a gaping hole in a tree. The white-haired man stood shocked, eyes wide in surprise. Unfortunately, for Akane, he was unharmed.

"My Dominator!" She gasped, reaching for the weapon.

"Ah, not yet, miss. I need to make sure you won't blow a hole through my face when I give this back."

"What do you want, my blood, my soul?"

"A promise would suffice." The girl's hazel eyes widened, narrowing quickly. 'What is he playing at? I guess I'll play along, for now…'

"O-ok, I promise to leave the gun in its holster." The man gave a goofy grin, revealing a pair of sharp fangs.

"Here ya go." He handed her the weapon, smiling like a fool.

"T-that's it? You're not going to go for my throat, or feed me to your wolves?"

The man looked surprised. "Why would I do that to a cute girl? Besides, we've got another hunter hulled up at our house. Is it safe to assume you come here to collect him?"

The girl blinked, and then blinked again. "Well, that's part of my mission…"

"Great, we'll escort you there!"

She grew silent, shoving the gun haphazardly in its holster. "I have no say in this, do I?"

"Nope. None at all."

"Fine. Just keep him," she pointed to the white-haired vampire, "away from me."

"You're not a field of sunflowers either, kid."

"Come on you two, cheer up! We've never had this many guests before!"

"You mean _live _guests."

The orange-haired man punched Makishima lightly. "Come on, you're scaring her. Ah, that's right! I haven't introduced myself. My name is Shusei Kagari and this," he gestured towards the silver-haired man, "like you've probably already heard, is Shogo Makishima."

"I'm Akane Tsunemori."

"Nice to meet you, Akane-chan!"

…

The girl eyed the two warily, staying as far away as possible as they walked deeper into the forest. She lagged behind, listening to the two talk about normal, every-day things.

"It might have been better if they just killed me…" She muttered, shuffling through the flurry of snow. She shivered, warming her hands with her breath. The temperature had dropped considerably, causing the girl to curse herself for leaving without a thicker jacket, or at least gloves.

"Ah, are you cold? I forgot humans are more sensitive to the cold than us. Here." He handed her his black coat, laughing at the girl's bewildered expression.

"What? It's not going to turn into a bat or something. It's just a piece of clothing."

"I-I wasn't thinking that!" She blushed, pulling the heavy wool coat over her lithe form. An almost inaudible "thank-you" passed her lips. The vampire grinned. "No problem."

…

"This is your _home_?" She asked incredulously, staring at the mansion.

"Yep. Shougo inherited it from his folks. Come on, I'll show you where Ko-chan's staying."

"Ko-chan?"

The man stood, confused. "Kougami Shinya. That is who you came looking for, right?"

"Y-yes. I just… never mind." 'He gave Kougami a nickname. Next thing you know he's going to tell me he doesn't drink blood.'

…

"Kougami! You're ok!" She rushed to the man who was lounging on the couch, book in hand. His leg was in a cast, bandages covering most of his torso and arms.

"What happened? They didn't…" The girl looked at his neck, surprised to see no puncture marks.

"I was told to exterminate this nest. On my way here though, I was attacked by a pack of wolves. Kagari said he and Makishima keep most of the wolves on a short leash. He assumes they were another vampire's familiars, sent to scout the area. I thought I was done for but then old man Masaoka appeared out of nowhere. He ordered the wolves to leave and he did first-aid. I passed out and when I woke up I was here."

"Masaoka?"

"Ah, you haven't met everyone yet? Ask Kagari or Shougo to show you around."

"You address that monster by his first name?" She sat next to Kougami, staring at the fireplace. The flames warmed her chilled body, allowing her to relax—slightly.

"He's a bit rough around the edges but he's got a great taste in books. He also has a human friend living with him here as well. I think his name was Choe-Gu Sung… Anyway, he's not that bad, just stuck in his old ways. He thinks vampires should rule over humans."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"He feels like the hunters have suppressed the vampire's natural lifestyle. He's only allowed to kill bad people; thieves, rapists, murderers."

"What about everyone else?"

The large wooden doors creaked open, revealing an older looking man. He walked up to the pair, waving.

"Kougami, I'm glad to see you're ok. I was worried for a bit."

"Hey pops, thanks for stitching me up and all."

"No problem." He smiled warmly, directing his attention to the girl.

"How rude of me. I'm Tomomi Masaoka. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"N-nice to meet you. I'm Akane Tsunemori."

"Well, missy, please don't take any of my 'children's' reactions too seriously. They're good people, if not a little stubborn and reckless."

"Talking about us again, Masaoka?" Kagari walked into the room, hands in his pocket.

"It's almost time for dinner. Please, stay the night and we'll direct you to the shortest path out of the forest."

"Ok." Kougami smiled, chatting with the younger man.

"Are you an idiot? Asking us to dinner means we are the dinner, Kougami!"

"Calm down, Tsunemori. Like I said, they're different."

The girl pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're too trusting. It's going to get us killed. Fine, stay here, get eaten alive, I'm going back to headquarters."

"Wait—" Kagari grabbed her wrist.

"Let go."

"No." His grip tightened.

"Tell me, Akane-chan, why did you become a hunter?" His eyes flashed crimson, the once care-free look on his face replaced with one of fury.

"So, you've finally shown your true colors, vampire?" She reached for the Dominator.

He grabbed her other wrist, face twisted into a malicious frown.

"I wasn't going to be mean. But, I've changed my mind. Why did you become a hunter?" Each word was drawn out, punctuated by the flash of fangs.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Dinner and a Movie?

A/N: Hello my lovely readers! Here's another chapter of _Tomato Juice_! I would love some feedback on the general flow of the story as well as characterization. I tried to keep them IC, but, they're vampires now so… anyway, thanks for taking the time to check out chapter 2 and drop a review if you get a chance! Have a great day!

"Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad."

-Henry Wadsworth

"I wasn't going to be mean. But, I've changed my mind. Why did you become a hunter?" Each word was drawn out, punctuated by the flash of fangs.

…

The girl struggled against his grip, eyes alight with fury. "Why does it matter? I hunt monsters _like _you so the world doesn't have to. All you do is kill and devour everything that crosses your path. Just because you have a long lifespan doesn't mean you have the right to murder innocent people! I do what I do because, one day, my actions could save the world!"

The vampire gives her a cold, hard stare, eyes tinted in crimson. "That's your reason? You sound like the old guys before the hunter association was created. Wanting to protect the world from creatures of the night? You can't even protect human from each other. Surely losing a few _sheep _is better than the annihilation of your race. In fact, we are _better _than humans. The strong are born vampires, or turned, while the weak mull about, dying and amounting to nothing but ash."

Akane freed one hand from his grasp, slapping the cocky vampire. "Don't think that every life isn't precious. Those are people you're killing, they have families, children, people who love them!"

The man's eyes widened, his hand ungrasping her wrist. An inhuman growl breaks from his throat.

"Stop it, Kagari." Masaoka's eyes flash a bright red, causing the other vampire to fall to the ground. He clutches at his chest, gasping for air.

"I'm sorry, Akane. He's brash, cocky, and too smart for his own good. You'll have to forgive him for his attitude. His parents were killed by vampire hunters; they hadn't broken any rules, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Be quiet, old man! That's—that's personal information!" He struggles to stand, leaning on the wall for support.

"Kagari, I think it would be best if you leave. Go; come back once your head has cleared."

The orange-haired man sneers, walking out of the room.

"Akane-chan, don't think this conversation is over."

The girl does not reply, returning her attention to the wounded hunter.

…

Dinner is surprisingly uneventful. The food Kagari cooked is actually delicious, and the woman's surprised to see all the vampires digging in.

"You can eat solid food?"

Masaoka chuckles. "Yes, but it does not substitute blood. It's a different type of hunger. I don't want to frighten you too badly but we usually have a glass of blood with our meals. Don't worry, its donated blood, from hospitals. We keep it here in case of emergencies. I'm too old to hunt on my own and wouldn't want to burden my children."

"Are all of you actually blood related?" The girl stares at the group of vampires, from the dark-haired woman known as Yayoi, the brown-haired Masaoka, the mischievous Makishima, and Kagari, who was sulking in the corner, sipping what appeared to be blood.

"Oh heavens no. For whatever reason, vampires are generally solitary creatures. But, somehow, we've all drifted together into this one mansion. I adopted Kagari when he was five years old. I was good friends with his parents, Shougo's too. A few years ago, Shougo's parents died, leaving him with this lonely mansion. He allowed us to stay here, and eventually the dynamics you see here were created."

"Don't get me wrong, I didn't let them stay here out of the goodness of my heart. The more vampires the safer a place is. I don't want to be staked in my coffin; we watch out for each other, nothing more."

"Don't say that Shougo-kun. We're one big, happy family! Speaking of which, Kagari, stop skulking about like some 18th century vampire and sit at the table."

"No. I'm fine where I am, thank-you."

The old man sighs in his chair. "Sorry, missy, Kougami-san, he's such a spoiled child. He acts all high and mighty but he's relatively harmless. He's the one who drinks the least amount of blood out of all of us. From what I can smell, he's only drinking tomato juice over there."

"S-shut up, you old geezer. At least I can hunt for my food. Besides, there's nothing wrong with tomato juice, you're just jealous." He turns his back on the vampire, taking another sip of his drink.

"Things just keep getting weirder and weirder…"

…

"Akane-chan, there you are! I wanted to talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you, vampire."

"Ouch. A bit harsh, don't you think? I actually wanted to apologize."

This catches the brunette's attention, prompting her to close the book. She had been persuaded by Kougami to stay the night (and forget about this _nightmare _later) and was given a spacious guest room. Luckily, they had spare beds and she didn't have to sleep on the floor, or worse, a _coffin_.

"Alright, let's hear it."

"I-I apologize for the comment amount humans being worthless… it was wrong of me."

"Masaoka told you to apologize, didn't he?"

The man gave her a goofy grin. "You caught me. I don't think what I said was _wrong _but I know it wasn't something I should have said regardless. And for that, you have my sincerest apologies."

"Fine, apology accepted. It was also wrong of me to assume you kill people left and right. So… I'm sorry too."

The man smiled, moving towards the hunter.

"So… you wanna watch a movie? We recently got Netflix and there's this one horror movie I wanted to watch!"

The vampire looks positively giddy, face twisted in anticipation. She just couldn't say no; it was like denying a child a piece of candy. "Sure… why not?"

"Yay! Scoot over, I'll start the movie and get some popcorn!"

Surprisingly, it's not _that _bad of a time. They laugh at all the failed attempts at horror, telling jokes throughout the movie to make it more bearable. The man knows nothing of personal space, bumping shoulders, hands when they both reach for the popcorn bowl, and, before they knew it, it was morning.

An internal alarm went off in the vampire, eyes drooping heavily.

…

When Kougami Shinya heard that the orange-haired vampire had went to visit Akane in her room and didn't return, he assumed the man was nothing but a pile of ash. He had not expected to see them curled up on the bed, credits to some movie scrolling down the T.V. They leaned against the headboard, the vampire's head against her shoulder. Soft puffs of air tickled the girl's neck, but she adjusted her position slightly, unconsciously leaning towards the man's touch. It was heart-warming, even to the seasoned hunter.

"If only all human-vampire relationships didn't end in tragedy…" he sighed, closing the door on the pair. Maybe he could rouse Shougo from his sleep to talk about _The Divine Comedy. _Shinya smiled, walking towards the silver-haired vampire's wing of the mansion.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Staurophobia

A/N: Welcome! Thank you for continuing to read my story! Please review and tell me what you think! Also, do you want any character deaths? I wanted to keep this story light and fluffy but I have a few ideas… so review or pm me and let me know. Thanks!

Shinya Kougami walked into the vampire's chamber, surprised to see a wall decorated in crosses. Honestly, nothing about this makeshift family made any sense. Vampire's living together with no leader, tomato juice instead of blood, a love of literature over bloodshed? The man shook his head, gazing at the shadowy figure. Makishima was lounging in a loveseat, silver hair reflecting against the light from the fireplace. A large tome lay in his lap, fingers skimming against the parchment.

"Hey, Shougo."

"Kougami? What a pleasant surprise, please, sit down."

The raven-haired man sits in the opposite chair, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter. He takes a drag of the cigarette, breathing out smoke. Makishima laughs, closing the book.

"You're only killing yourself faster. Why do you smoke even though it shortens your already short lifespan?"

"You don't know when you'll die. Doesn't matter if you're a vampire or a human. I may die tomorrow, three years from now, maybe even fifty. Same for you. You could live to be thousands of years old, but you can't predict what each day will bring. Who knows, I might come into your room one day and kill you."

"I see… so a gift of 'immortality' would not interest you?"

"What are you talking abou—"

"It's a simple question. Do you want to live forever? I have the means necessary to turn you into a vampire. All I ask for is your faith."

"It sounds like I'm making a pack with the devil."

"You flatter me, Kougami. No, I'm but a simple messenger of Hell. Think of the possibilities. Death, disease, famine could not touch you. We need only an exchange of blood to seal the 'contract.'"

The hunter gazes into the fire, a foreign emotion passing across his steel blue eyes.

…

It felt as if something heavy was lying on the girl. Groggily, she moves the foreign object off of her, rubbing sleep from her eyes. The 'object' curls up defiantly, arm encircling her waist. The man nuzzles her neck, orange hairs tickling her skin.

"Kagari, wake up. Kagari… Shusei, wake up already!" The man jolts awake, flipping out of the bed. He tumbles over the edge, cocooned in silk sheets.

"Ouch… how did I end up on the floor?"

"You fell."

"Oh." He gives a classic grin, fangs glinting in the light. "I'm hungry… you want something to eat?" The vampire walks to the door, watching the girl expectantly.

"I could go for pancakes." Her stomach rumbles in agreement.

"Hahaha, sure, follow me to the kitchen."

…

"Uh, I've never actually cooked something on my own, Kagari."

The vampire laughs. "No problem, I'll teach ya. Cooking is great, I mean, you get to eat what you create!"

The pair work diligently in the kitchen, Akane watching and learning as the man whisks the eggs. He instructs her on the precise amount of salt, how finely to dice the onions, how long she should scramble the eggs, and how to make homemade pancakes. Three hours later, and they emerge victorious from the kitchen, a total of twelve plates in their hands.

"Uh, Kagari, I don't think anyone else is awake yet…"

"It's fine, we'll eat what we can and store the rest for later."

They share breakfast (which only happens a handful of times for Kagari, since he usually doesn't wake up till past twelve in the afternoon) and watch T.V from their chairs. She can't help but stare at the orange-haired 'vampire.' 'He cooks, drinks tomato juice, watches T.V, how can this man attack anything? He couldn't hurt a fly with a flamethrower…' she thinks, taking a sip of her orange juice. Unsurprisingly, the man substitutes blood for _another _glass of tomato juice.

"Ya know…" Akane starts, taking a mouthful of pancakes, "You should act more like a vampire so I don't feel guilty shooting you later."

"Eh? I'm not scary? Not even a little bit?"

"Well… sometimes, whenever you get angry. But, for the most part, you seem so carefree and, dare I say, _human._"

"The old man used to joke that no one would believe I was a vampire because I never slept in a coffin, and, for the longest time, I was actually _afraid _of the dark."

The girl nearly falls out of the chair, laughing. The vampire blushes, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"It was when I was a kid, ok? It's not that big of a deal…"

"Don't tell me you had a night light or something." The man turns a darker shade of pink.

"N-no, of course not, I wasn't that pitiful—"

"If I remember correctly, Kagari, there were a handful of times when you thought you heard monsters outside your window and would crawl into my coffin during the night. I couldn't even have a normal sleep pattern, having to watch you all day and make sure you didn't reveal your identity to all the other human children." Masaoka walked down the main flight of stairs, chuckling at the vampire's expression.

"I told you once already, stop sharing all this information—it's personal!" He looked exasperated, close to ripping his own hair out of his scalp.

"Calm down, Shusei. Everyone has something they're embarrassed about, myself included. When I was growing up, I thought only stakes through the heart could kill vampires. Luckily, I didn't meet any hunters during that time."

…

"Mr. Kougami, where are you?" Akane walks through the west wing of the mansion, surprised to see everything layered in dust. Old, antique furniture piled high in the wing, red carpets stained with age. There are actual spider-webs on the windows and the girl wants to be _anywhere _but here. "Damn, Kougami, don't tell me Makishima got hungry and decided to have a mid-morning snack."

A cold hand grips her shoulder, puffs of breath tickling her neck. The other hand is over her mouth and the girl reflexively bites down on it. She can feel the man smirk into her neck, pulse increasingly rapidly.

"Scary enough for you, Akane?" Kagari lets the girl go, laughing at her bewildered expression.

"Do that again and I won't hesitate to shoot you."

"Alright, alright… Masaoka said I should come help you find Ko-chan. His scent is strong here; he must be in one of these rooms."

Akane nods here head in agreement. "Ok, I just have one question. Why is this side of the mansion so… unkempt?"

The vampire sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "It's a long story… Shougo had a human lover, Rikako. He was engaged to her when a group of vampire hunters kidnapped her. They thought she could lead him into a trap. He shows up at the main headquarters and slaughters them, in droves. When he finally gets to her, the leader of the vampire hunter organization, Sibyl, has a knife to her throat. He lets them take him into custody. As he's being dragged to the torture chambers the woman slices the girl's throat right in front of him. There was nothing he could do. He's been unable to touch any of the furniture since. It all reminds him of her."

The brunette is quiet, absorbing the sad tale. "So… is that why he acts so cold? Because hunters killed his lover?"

"More or less. He's always had a shaky relationship with hunters, but so do all vampires."

"But, you didn't immediately attack me, even though you knew I was a hunter."

"Pops always told me to judge a person by their actions. You had subdued Shougo and only pressed on killing him when he attacked you first. Most hunters just shoot, allow Sibyl to make the decision. And, if they were wrong, and the vampire didn't do anything worthy of death, well, at least it meant one less monster off the streets."

"Wise words… my parents also said something similar to that." The vampire smiles, gesturing for the girl to follow him. "Come on, I think I hear them."

They make it to an open doorway, Akane's eyes widening in shock. The white-haired vampire's eyes were glowing crimson, fangs mere inches from Kougami's neck.

"Stop!" She fires, a bright blue light hitting the man directly in the chest. He goes down, falling backwards onto the floor.

"W-what did you just do, Akane?" Kagari runs to the fallen vampire, checking his vitals.

"Don't worry, it was on Paralyzer mode, he'll be out for a few hours but should be relatively fine." The girl places the gun back in its holster, walking up to the surprised hunter. He shakes his head, a headache forming.

"Why, Kougami?"

"I don't know, I think he put me under a trance or something. At first, I refused his offer, told him I'd rather die a hunter than a murderer. I guess that triggered something and before I knew it you were here."

"Uh, guys, in the heat of the moment I kinda forgot about my phobia but it's seriously getting too bad. I have Staurophobia. Ko-chan, could you carry Shougo? I really need to get out of here." The orange-haired man looks in pain, topaz eyes squeezed shut.

"What's wrong, Kagari?"

"T-the crosses." He points to the wall decorated in them, shielding his eyes.

"When I was a kid, before I was adopted by Masaoka, my real parents instilled a fear of crosses in me. Many hunters would wear them for decoration, and my parents thought that if I grew up to fear them I'd subconsciously keep my nose out of hunter affairs. Look at all the good that's done." He nearly sprints out the room, a blur of black as he runs to the main living room.

"Seriously? First he drinks _tomato juice_, and then he tells me he used to be afraid of the dark, hates coffins, and can't stare at a _cross? _I give up. When I return to headquarters I'll tell them none of their classes are useful. I would have stood a better chance reading _Dracula_."

The pair (despite Kougami being on crutches) manages to drag the unconscious vampire into the foyer area, leaving him on the couch.

"Don't worry, Kagari, his head only hit the stairs a couple of times." The girl chirps, smiling at the worried man.

"Wonderful." He says sarcastically, sitting across the sleeping vampire. His eyes tighten in concern, averting his attention to Shougo. "I told you so many times to stop acting so damn reckless. It _will _get you killed, someday."

Suddenly, a figure steps through the front door, gun in hand. "My name is Ginoza Nobuchika and in the name of the vampire hunter association I sentence all of you to death." He points the Dominator at the slumbering vampire, pulling the trigger.


End file.
